How many times have you purchased an item, decided you did not want it after all and then returned it to the store? Have you ever been told that you can not return an item or that there is a “re-stocking” fee to return it? We often think that if we have the receipt and the item is in the same condition as when we purchased it, we have a right to return an item. However, in Maryland, a store’s refund policy may vary from “no refunds” to “refunds cheerfully given even if you do not have a receipt”. No matter what the stores refund policy is, it must be disclosed to you at the time of sale, either by a sign in the store or by some notation on the receipt or label.

If no return policy has been disclosed, then you can assume that when you make the return you will receive a refund in the manner in which you purchased the item, or by a store credit.

If you are not sure you absolutely want an item, before purchasing it, be sure to ask about the return policy and get it in writing.

The refund policy does not apply if an item is defective. For more information on defective goods, see OCP webpage on Defective Merchandise.